"We want to make sure Bryce is respected, and we want people to know he was a great guy and a hard worker," he said.

"We train our guys and do provide them bulletproof vests."

John Langley said Cops is a true reality show, meaning "it happens as it happens."

"That is our highlight and our low light," he said.

The investigation into the shooting was ongoing.

Among the longest-running series in TV history, Cops was part of the first batch of shows to launch the reality programming craze.

The series premiered in March 1989 at a time when the then-young Fox network was on the prowl for edgy programmes that could help establish its identity.

Filmmaker Michael Moore, among others, has criticised the show for selectively focusing on crimes involving poor and working-class suspects. The show's opening theme, the reggae tune Bad Boys, has become instantly recognisable.